What’s your most favourite and least favourite thing about being an entrepreneur?
My favourite thing about being an entrepreneur is setting my own rules, my own processes and system. I feel entrepreneurship has taught me how to celebrate and enjoy my own success, and also learn and course correct from my failures.
How do you balance your time between being a producer as well as an entrepreneur with
Dhoom Dhaam Company? What are the similarities and differences between the two
roles?
I think the bigger question is to find the right balance between children and work - because that is really tough! With my two companies, it's pretty smooth and seamless as we have a dedicated team and have processes in place. I usually plan my day according to work requirements from both the companies and it is manageable.
Do you ever feel it's harder for a woman to be taken seriously in a male dominated industry?
So, personally, I did not face any gender bias as a woman in the industry. Yes, there have been such cases and I have heard stories from people from the past; but I think the industry is on a good track now and these biases don’t exist anymore.
Having said that of course, the ratio is a bit disproportionate - we have way more men than women in the industry. We do need a lot more women directors, producers, writers in the industry.
Is there any incident from when you were starting out in Bollywood, that brought a gender-based realisation or revelation? Something that left its mark on you?
I entered the film industry at a really young age, so I feel I did face more of an age bias than a gender bias. A lot of people would come to me and try to pull me down with comments, questioning my ability to do something in this industry. While I was working on Bombay Talkies, a film I produced to celebrate the 100 years of cinema; a film trade person walked up to me and said, “You are not from this industry. What do you even know about films?’’ I think this incident is where I faced bias of being an outsider in the film industry. However, I didn’t really let this incident affect my spirit. My answer to him was quite simple, that if you know what you are working on, with research, study and complete dedication you can create your mark in any industry.
Is there any incident from when you were starting out in Bollywood, that brought a gender-based realisation or revelation? Something that left its mark on you?
I entered the film industry at a really young age, so I feel I did face more of an age bias than a gender bias. A lot of people would come to me and try to pull me down with comments, questioning my ability to do something in this industry.
While I was working on Bombay Talkies, a film I produced to celebrate the 100 years of cinema; a film trade person walked up to me and said, “You are not from this industry. What do you even know about films?’’ I think this incident is where I faced bias of being an outsider in the film industry. However, I didn’t really let this incident affect my spirit. My answer to him was quite simple, that if you know what you are working on, with research, study and complete dedication you can create your mark in any industry.
You’ve said in the past you’re a feminist. Does that impact the kind of films you decide to produce? Why and how so?
Of course, I am a feminist and the way it impacts me is when I get a script from a female writer – it just gets more exciting for me! I feel the entire approach changes - you’re naturally driven, you’re looking at things from a female gaze, from a female point of view, and that reflects in the stories that you want to tell and share.
I’m currently working with two women directors for my upcoming projects. We always like to work with a lot more women in our crew. I think women are better at multitasking; they are more efficient.
As a producer you are a leader and key decision maker. What are some changes or decisions you’ve implemented that you’re proud of?
As a producer, I try to build a crew that is strongly led by women. I always try to have as much female crew as possible—whether it’s my writers, directors, production team, or direction team.
It is very important to me that everybody should value everyone’s time. While I was interning, starting out or in my initial jobs; I realized that if you’re not in a position of power, people would just make you wait or not take you seriously with your time. Never ever do that. So, whether it is an intern or someone very senior, you value everyone’s time, and that’s what I do.
Lastly, I think it is very important to be more inclusive and collaborative instead of dividing the teams into main, secondary etc. In our teams, we let everyone voice out their opinion, speak to each other freely on a certain idea or any process.
What is an ideal feminist future that you dream of in general but specifically in Bollywood?
The ideal feminist future that I dream of in life is where women have to stop asking for equal pay, equal respect, equal rights; it is just a given.
In the industry that I work in (i.e. Bollywood), people often say it’s a "female director's film." There is nothing as a "female producer" and a "female director" — this needs to stop. It’s a producer and a director, just how it is for men, and I hope people start to talk like that.
And of course, more films being made with women at the helm of it — you know, the actors in front of the camera and behind the camera — that is another thing that I hope that we get! I do hope we are able to get an equal number of openings, and that change will also come from the audiences. Only when people start to go to the theaters a lot more for female-driven films, we can make more female-driven films with female protagonists.
What is the original idea behind Lust Stories? Why and how did you decide on this anthology of stories around female sexuality and lust?
I had made an anthology called "Bombay Talkies" with the same set of directors: Karan Johar, Zoya Akhtar, Anurag Kashyap, and Dibakar Banerjee. When we wanted to do a part two of another set of anthologies, everybody brainstormed and spoke about what they really want to do. I think this is something that inherently everybody felt strongly about and wanted to do.
We were very fortunate at the time that Netflix was launching in India, and Ronny Screwvala backed this, so we were able to make this happen. The idea was to be able to tell stories that sometimes get hard to tell on the big screen and to put women's desires at the forefront. We wanted to speak about it in a way that is engaging while also really saying something meaningful.
Can we expect Lust stories 3 with all women directors?
Of course, we can expect Lust Stories 3.
It is important to have a women director to share the female point of view and a female gaze on this, and we will definitely have that. So, we’ll have some interesting directors for sure. All-female directors are something I’ve not thought about, but you never know.
What has been the most empowering part of the work you do?
I think the most empowering part of the work that I do is being able to do what I do on my own terms. I mean, the failure is mine, and the success is mine, so that is something that I feel has been very empowering. To be able to make my own decisions in life itself has been super empowering.
What does being a Badass mean to you?
Being badass to me is having the confidence to go after your dreams even if nobody else believes in them or you, but yourself.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received?
The best piece of advice that I follow — I’m not sure if it’s a good one or not, but I keep telling myself that - Patience is a waste of time, so just go after your dreams. And that’s why I do.
Films you recommend for feminists
Some feminist films that I can think of are - Thelma and Louise, Rosetta, Kill Bill, Erin Brockovich, Devil Wears Prada, Little Women. Our very own, “Queen", it was a really cool film.
What’s your most favourite and least favourite thing about being an entrepreneur?
My favourite thing about being an entrepreneur is setting my own rules, my own processes and system. I feel entrepreneurship has taught me how to celebrate and enjoy my own success, and also learn and course correct from my failures.
How do you balance your time between being a producer as well as an entrepreneur with
Dhoom Dhaam Company? What are the similarities and differences between the two
roles?
I think the bigger question is to find the right balance between children and work - because that is really tough! With my two companies, it's pretty smooth and seamless as we have a dedicated team and have processes in place. I usually plan my day according to work requirements from both the companies and it is manageable.
Do you ever feel it's harder for a woman to be taken seriously in a male dominated industry?
So, personally, I did not face any gender bias as a woman in the industry. Yes, there have been such cases and I have heard stories from people from the past; but I think the industry is on a good track now and these biases don’t exist anymore.
Having said that of course, the ratio is a bit disproportionate - we have way more men than women in the industry. We do need a lot more women directors, producers, writers in the industry.
Is there any incident from when you were starting out in Bollywood, that brought a gender-based realisation or revelation? Something that left its mark on you?
I entered the film industry at a really young age, so I feel I did face more of an age bias than a gender bias. A lot of people would come to me and try to pull me down with comments, questioning my ability to do something in this industry. While I was working on Bombay Talkies, a film I produced to celebrate the 100 years of cinema; a film trade person walked up to me and said, “You are not from this industry. What do you even know about films?’’ I think this incident is where I faced bias of being an outsider in the film industry. However, I didn’t really let this incident affect my spirit. My answer to him was quite simple, that if you know what you are working on, with research, study and complete dedication you can create your mark in any industry.
Is there any incident from when you were starting out in Bollywood, that brought a gender-based realisation or revelation? Something that left its mark on you?
I entered the film industry at a really young age, so I feel I did face more of an age bias than a gender bias. A lot of people would come to me and try to pull me down with comments, questioning my ability to do something in this industry.
While I was working on Bombay Talkies, a film I produced to celebrate the 100 years of cinema; a film trade person walked up to me and said, “You are not from this industry. What do you even know about films?’’ I think this incident is where I faced bias of being an outsider in the film industry. However, I didn’t really let this incident affect my spirit. My answer to him was quite simple, that if you know what you are working on, with research, study and complete dedication you can create your mark in any industry.
You’ve said in the past you’re a feminist. Does that impact the kind of films you decide to produce? Why and how so?
Of course, I am a feminist and the way it impacts me is when I get a script from a female writer – it just gets more exciting for me! I feel the entire approach changes - you’re naturally driven, you’re looking at things from a female gaze, from a female point of view, and that reflects in the stories that you want to tell and share.
I’m currently working with two women directors for my upcoming projects. We always like to work with a lot more women in our crew. I think women are better at multitasking; they are more efficient.
As a producer you are a leader and key decision maker. What are some changes or decisions you’ve implemented that you’re proud of?
As a producer, I try to build a crew that is strongly led by women. I always try to have as much female crew as possible—whether it’s my writers, directors, production team, or direction team.
It is very important to me that everybody should value everyone’s time. While I was interning, starting out or in my initial jobs; I realized that if you’re not in a position of power, people would just make you wait or not take you seriously with your time. Never ever do that. So, whether it is an intern or someone very senior, you value everyone’s time, and that’s what I do.
Lastly, I think it is very important to be more inclusive and collaborative instead of dividing the teams into main, secondary etc. In our teams, we let everyone voice out their opinion, speak to each other freely on a certain idea or any process.
What is an ideal feminist future that you dream of in general but specifically in Bollywood?
The ideal feminist future that I dream of in life is where women have to stop asking for equal pay, equal respect, equal rights; it is just a given.
In the industry that I work in (i.e. Bollywood), people often say it’s a "female director's film." There is nothing as a "female producer" and a "female director" — this needs to stop. It’s a producer and a director, just how it is for men, and I hope people start to talk like that.
And of course, more films being made with women at the helm of it — you know, the actors in front of the camera and behind the camera — that is another thing that I hope that we get! I do hope we are able to get an equal number of openings, and that change will also come from the audiences. Only when people start to go to the theaters a lot more for female-driven films, we can make more female-driven films with female protagonists.
What is the original idea behind Lust Stories? Why and how did you decide on this anthology of stories around female sexuality and lust?
I had made an anthology called "Bombay Talkies" with the same set of directors: Karan Johar, Zoya Akhtar, Anurag Kashyap, and Dibakar Banerjee. When we wanted to do a part two of another set of anthologies, everybody brainstormed and spoke about what they really want to do. I think this is something that inherently everybody felt strongly about and wanted to do.
We were very fortunate at the time that Netflix was launching in India, and Ronny Screwvala backed this, so we were able to make this happen. The idea was to be able to tell stories that sometimes get hard to tell on the big screen and to put women's desires at the forefront. We wanted to speak about it in a way that is engaging while also really saying something meaningful.
Can we expect Lust stories 3 with all women directors?
Of course, we can expect Lust Stories 3.
It is important to have a women director to share the female point of view and a female gaze on this, and we will definitely have that. So, we’ll have some interesting directors for sure. All-female directors are something I’ve not thought about, but you never know.
What has been the most empowering part of the work you do?
I think the most empowering part of the work that I do is being able to do what I do on my own terms. I mean, the failure is mine, and the success is mine, so that is something that I feel has been very empowering. To be able to make my own decisions in life itself has been super empowering.
What does being a Badass mean to you?
Being badass to me is having the confidence to go after your dreams even if nobody else believes in them or you, but yourself.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received?
The best piece of advice that I follow — I’m not sure if it’s a good one or not, but I keep telling myself that - Patience is a waste of time, so just go after your dreams. And that’s why I do.
Films you recommend for feminists
Some feminist films that I can think of are - Thelma and Louise, Rosetta, Kill Bill, Erin Brockovich, Devil Wears Prada, Little Women. Our very own, “Queen", it was a really cool film.
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